Review of the Nerf Rival Pathfinder XXII-1200

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Last updated: September 21, 2023

Released in 2022, the Nerf Rival Pathfinder XXII-1200 is a spring-powered pump-action blaster with an adjustable iron sight and integrated shoulder stock.

The Pathfinder is part of a Rival subseries that features blasters with a yellow and light blue color scheme and a new ammunition type called Accu-Rounds.

Is the Pathfinder as good as some of the classic Rival Guns, like the Nemesis and the Artemis?

In this review of the Rival Pathfinder XXII-1200, I will walk you through some of the top features of this gun, and I will share my honest thoughts with you.

You can purchase the Nerf Rival Pathfinder on Amazon.

The Pathfinder is a blaster in a series of new Rival Blasters that Nerf started releasing in 2022. These blasters, including the Pathfinder, have a nice yellow and light blue color scheme, have adjustable iron sights, and shoot with Accu-Rounds, a new ammunition type.

The idea behind this Rival sub-series was to further improve accuracy, but that’s mostly just marketing. In reality, these blasters simply add some freshness to the popular Rival series that has been around since 2015.

The Pathfinder itself is a reasonably modest spring-powered pump-action blaster with a detachable 12-round magazine and an integrated shoulder stock.

Accu-Rounds

Accu-Rounds are very similar to the classic Rival Rounds, but the dimpling pattern is a bit different, with the dimples being much larger.

This updated design is meant to improve shooting accuracy and velocity, but honestly, there isn’t much noticeable improvement. But it’s not worse, either.

All Rival Blasters in this sub-series are compatible with the classic Rival Rounds, so you can keep using those if you already have them in your collection at home.

Here’s my take on the Nerf Rival Pathfinder.

1. Refreshing Design

We’ve all been accustomed to the classic red and dark blue color scheme of the Rival series. And indeed, Rival Blasters have always looked really good, in my opinion, at least.

But with this new sub-series, the color scheme has radically changed to yellow and light blue. Some might say this new color scheme gives the blasters a somewhat soft and less intimidating look, but I quite like it.

Besides the color scheme, the look-and-feel of the Pathfinder is quite unique, with a long and pointy magazine and a pump grip.

The ergonomics are fine, but the magazine can only hold 12 rounds. Also important to point out is that the Pathfinder is not compatible with magazines from before 2019.

2. Adjustable Rear Sight

One of the coolest features of the Pathfinder is that it comes with two iron sights, with the rear sight being adjustable.

The rear sight has two adjustment wheels: one to move the sight from left to right, and one to move the sight up and down.

The front sight, which is not adjustable, sits above the muzzle and looks quite funky. Both sights are fixed, so you can’t remove them.

3. Decent Performance

One reason to purchase any Rival Blaster is performance. The average Rival Blaster performs well, especially compared to the average dart blaster.

When buying a Rival Blaster, one can typically expect an average of 90 FPS (feet per second) shooting velocity. Accuracy is typically also quite decent with Rival Blasters. And the rate of fire can vary greatly depending on the type of gun.

How does the Pathfinder perform? The performance of the Pathfinder certainly doesn’t disappoint. The FPS sits at around 90, the accuracy is pretty good (but it’s hard to say if that’s because of the new ammo), and the rate of fire is nearly 2 per second.

Check Price

I like the Pathfinder. I really do. While there isn’t much to say about any improvement in shooting accuracy or velocity, I am just happy that Nerf is keeping the Rival brand very much alive.

Rival has been one of Nerf’s most successful series of blasters, and I have been a fan from the beginning. I was a bit concerned that the 2020 Rival models marked the end of the series, but luckily, Nerf has come out with a brand new sub-series of blasters.

Overall, the Pathfinder looks fantastic, performs as one would expect from a Rival Blaster, is reasonably ergonomic, and is well-priced. Go and buy it, is my recommendation.

Review:	Nerf Rival Pathfinder XXII-1200
Summary:	The Nerf Rival Pathfinder is a magazine-fed pump-action blaster with an adjustable iron sight and integrated shoulder stock. It forms part of a new Rival sub-series with a refreshed look and a new ammunition type. Overall, this blaster looks great, performs well, is reasonably ergonomic, and is well-priced.
Author:	Thomas Dunnett
Rating:	4.6 (out of 5)